What is now a way of life began three years ago when Julie Yakes of Broomfield went looking for an Imperial stormtrooper helmet.

She didn't even want to wear the white, iconic mask. No, the symbol of the faceless enforcers of the Galactic Empire was going to be for display and display only.

But then she found the Mountain Base unit of The Rebel Legion, a worldwide costuming group for "Star Wars" aficionados in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. And she discovered a practical use for her helmet.

Beneath the Costumes

Members of The Rebel Legion and 501st Legion Mountain Garrison -- representing the good and the bad guys in George Lucas' Star Wars movie series -- were seen taking photos with fans and milling about on the sidewalk outside the Rialto Theater in downtown Loveland Sunday afternoon.

There were still more characters inside that could have walked right off the screen and into the Fourth Street venue.

And while one might wonder whether they were there to battle for control of the universe, they weren't. They were there, instead, to welcome fans of all ages to two special showings Sunday of "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi."

Yakes was just a child in Port Huron, Mich., when she went with her mother to see "Episode IV: A New Hope," the first Star Wars movie released in 1977. Talking about that day, she fingered brown tufts of hair sprouting from a massive Chewbacca (aka Chewy) head as she sat in the Rialto Theater's new Green Room dressing space.

"I was 7 and I was blown away," she said, smiling.

Now she and her roommate and best friend, Regina Tironi, spread that same joy and excitement to children and adults when they walk into a room donning one of their many "Star Wars" costumes.

"I'm a 'Star Wars' fan because of the reaction of the kids," said Hugh Coffman of Colorado Springs, who is commanding officer of The Rebel Legion's Mountain Base.

Over the past few years, Coffman has accumulated five costumes -- representing characters on both the rebel and 501st legion sides -- each with an approximate price tag of $1,000, he said. His wife, Adriadna; daughter, Mireya, 8; and son, Hewitt, 4, all dress up too and attend events with their father.

Both the Rebel and 501st legions make appearances at charity events and have even appeared in Disney's annual summer parade.

In Front of the Silver Screen

Inside the theater, waiting for the movie to start, sat Peter Neidhardt of Fort Collins and his son, Zander, who looked more like a miniature Darth Vader than a 5-year-old boy. Peter's other son, Zach, 9, sat closer to the Rialto's stage because the trio couldn't get seats together.

Tickets sold out for the theater's 450 seats at Sunday's 2 p.m. showing, said Rose Anne Wheeler, fundraising director for the Rialto Theater Guild.

Neidhardt was 12 when the first "Star Wars" movie came out.

"I was dumbfounded. There was nothing like it in the cinema," he said. Since, he has seen each of the six movies 12-15 times; his sons have seen each about a dozen times.

Brack Lee is the commanding officer of the 501st Legion Mountain Garrison. Rushed Sunday, he said he didn't have time to appear as anything more elaborate than Luke Skywalker in his orange, X-pilot costume, complete with helmet and eye cover.

His involvement with the legion really took off when he became a father to his two children and watched their fascination with his costuming.

Brack said he'll put on the Luke Skywalker costume "until I can't really pass it off anymore." Then he'll switch to something new.

And he plans to do that, if he can, until the end.

"'Star Wars' has been in my blood since I was 3. So I don't expect it to be diluting anytime soon," he said, grinning.

Rylan Abbott, 3, of Loveland examines a "talking" R2-D2 replica set up at the Rialto Theater before Sunday's showing of "Return of the Jedi." He and his brother, Ian Abbott, 4, are Star Wars fanatics, their mother, Tara Hallahan said. (Photos by Madeline Novey)
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Madeline Novey
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